The Development of an 11-Month-Old Baby

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CHRISTA MILLER Last Updated: Dec 22, 2015

Christa Miller

Christa Miller is a writing professional with expertise in massage therapy and health. Miller attended San Francisco State University to earn a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing with a minor in journalism and went on to earn an Arizona massage therapy license.

Close-up of a baby boy laying on a bed.Photo Credit petrunjela/iStock/Getty Images

At 11 months, your child’s baby days are coming to an end and his toddler days are drawing near. Although babies develop at their own pace, the average 11-month-old is ever curious and practicing some major skills he will need to carry him through the rest of his life. Knowing what to expect in your baby’s 11th month will help you gauge his progress and determine whether you should seek medical advice.

Verbal Skills

Although your baby’s vocabulary may only consist of babbling sounds and basic words, such as “dada” and “mama,” her verbal skills and ability to comprehend continue to develop rapidly. She may, for example, be able to imitate inflections, sounds of words and follow basic directions, such as, “Please bring over that toy,” according to BabyCenter.com. She may also be able to point at body parts when you name them.

Motor Skills

Your 11-month-old is a moving machine. Although he may not walk for another few months, he should at least be able to roll around, crawl, scoot, pull himself up into standing position and walk while holding onto another person or a piece of furniture, according to Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service. He can also use small muscles to pick up objects with his thumb and fingers, point and poke with a finger and move objects between one hand and the other.

Growth

Your baby continues to grow at a rapid pace and will have just about doubled her height and tripled her weight by her first year, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, by his 11th month you may begin to notice that her growth has slowed down. This is especially true if she is active, because she burns off calories by moving around the house, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Although she needs adequate nutrition to support her new active lifestyle, don’t be too concerned if she doesn’t finish all of her food and trust that she will eat when she’s hungry.

Playtime

Your baby’s playtime interests will align with many of his developing motor skills. According to BabyCenter.com, your 11-month-old likely has an attention span that lasts between two and five minutes for quieter activities. However, his favorite activities-- pushing, throwing and knocking down as many objects as he can—may be a little less than quiet. He may also like to give and take toys from others, bang items together to create satisfying noises and place items in containers to immediately dump them out.

Encouraging Development

Foster your baby’s development by interacting with her on a regular basis. BabyCenter.com recommends reading simple books with your baby, counting objects, such as socks and stairs, and pointing out colors and names of items. It also suggests encouraging give-and-take by offering her a chance to respond. For example, you may hold up two shirts and ask your 11-month-old whether she would like to wear her yellow shirt or her blue shirt. Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service recommends offering your baby pots and pans to bang on, singing songs and moving with your baby to a musical rhythm.